My take on the 51 blackguard
What is a blackguard? read some background here

The specification
This project is not going to be a fake relic. I intend to get the vibe of the blackguard look, feel and tone while using modern methods, materials and hardware. The finished guiitar will look new but age gracefully as the years go by.

Where possible fittings will be used of the type that were used on the originals ie slotted screws, pressed steel bridge etc etc. If I can use a component that will improve shortcomings of the original design I will. This guitar will be a player first and foremost and I see no point in using a flawed component in the quest to be historically correct on a guitar that is to be a player rather than a wall hanger.

The finish is not to be nitro as I don't have a registered spray booth. I will however achieve a similar butterscotch colour. The finish sprayed on the originals is not available today and those extolling the virtues of nitro finish should realise that the nitro of today bears little similarity to that used in California in the 50's. At the old Fullerton plant prior to spraying the shaders and topcoats, the bodies were grain filled with "Fullerplast" a mix of fine sand, naptha and a binding agent so the surface could be "levelled" and a glass like shine could be attained.

In this build I will be attempting to reveal the true nature of the look and feel of the natural grain. In the case of ash it does have a very seductive feel when polished to a high gloss and minimal finish is applied. As years roll by the the harder growth rings will accentuate as the softer tissue in between is ever so slightly worn down by the body and clothes of the player. A final intimate shaping of the wood over years and years of playing.

See specs below:

The project began back in 2007. I left it under a pile of boards and forgot about it. Why? I can't really remember but I dragged it out again in March 2010 and on inspection I found a few minor problems that may have put me off taking it any further at that time. Seeing that the hardware was already there in a box beside the body and neck I decided that it was worth finishing off. In the box was a pair of Dimarzio Eric Johnson Specials, a Gotoh 1 piece bridge and a set of TOL Gotoh tuners.

The idea for this project goes back to the mid 90's when i discussed a similar flat top jazz/thinline project with the well known local Luthier Stewie Male. In those days Stewie was the leading repairer on this side of town and was building some very special guitars. He told me the idea wouldn't work and to forget about it. A few years later when I started building guitars myself I decided to see if he was right.

I have had this one out on a couple of gigs and found that I really like this guitar..It has an intense slicing tone on the bridge and a big warm tone on the neck. The middle setting is a fab honky tonk tone great for rhythm or riffs. It would be equally at home in a Rock, Country. Rockabilly, Blues, Punk or whatever setting. It has nice chime and cut without being brittle. The tone is definitely of the vintage variety.

I used my heavy duty recessed SS neckplate which allows a lot of compression to be applied to the neck body joint. This gives a lively feel with plenty of sustain up high and plenty of push in the middle and the lower registers. It sounds great in drop tunings.

The oil and wax finish is real nice to the touch especially the neck. It feels like a well polished piece of wood which of course it is. The fingers glide over it with no resistance at all. A high gloss finish can often become sticky and require constant attention to keep it slick. A rub over with a quality furniture oil is all that is required once or twice year to keep the surface looking and feeling its best.

The guitar is built almost entirely of Australian timbers. It is routed from the back thinline style from figured myrtle with a Vic ash back. The back stripes are of myrtle as well but a different type to the main body. The same timber is used in the stripes where the ears were glued to the headstock. The neck is of quartered Vic ash with an Indian rosewood fretboard. The headstock face plate is of figured alpine ash.

For its size it is quite light. It measures 36cm [14 1/4"] across.

1 piece swamp ash blank handpicked for me by Tommy of USACG. I wanted traditional styling for this one as it will be a player for me for the next few months. Very nice flame maple neck. It sounds very tele with plenty of muscle on the lead pickup.

The finish is danish oil throughout giving a micro thin coat. The grain is open and when you pick it up you can feel the grain in the wood. No multi coating of lacquer to seal it all under a glass like finish, Feels like what it is, a piece of finely polished timber.

New on this one is a 3mm heavy duty stainless neckplate which is ecessed into the body. The heavy neckplate allows a a much tighter neck to body union. If you tighten down a standard 2mm mild steel plate too hard it distorts

#12 Telstar
Great 60's style tele tone using Mick Brierley's Bakersfield Tele pickup set. The guitar weighs in at a friendly 3.2kg [7lb]
The rhytm pickup matches the output of the bridge pickup creating a beautiful chiming tone. The middle positions gives great jangly rhythm sounds. The bridge is muscular with an incandescant biting tone. All round a great guitar to play.

This one was built as a twin for Lucky #13. I sprayed it my favourite custom colour, put the new bakersfield pickups in as a test bed for them and it made guitar magic. One great sounding guitar.